Wondering what it means when you notice that your pipes smell? Smells coming from the plumbing in your home are somewhat common, though should not be overlooked. The plumbing in your residential or commercial space consists of a series of pipes, vents and traps that ensure the proper disposal of waste. Your shower, sink, toilet, and drains are all connected in the same network of pipes that carry wastewater away to the public sewer. If these pipes, vents and traps are not installed correctly or have lacked necessary maintenance, then you will eventually start to smell the rank odors throughout the space.

Vents, Traps and the Works

Without proper venting, drains can build up pressure or not have enough pressure to dispose of waste. High pressure often results in a gargling noise coming from the fixture or a strong odor being emitted due to the pressure forcing sewer gas through traps. Low pressure can cause draining in the traps or sewer gas to be emitted into the house. Both low and high pressure can create an unsafe environment for living. Vents allow for sewer gas to exit drains without escaping into your home through plumbing fixtures. They also allow air in from outside to avoid a vacuum effect from forming in the drains. Traps are set in place as a secondary safeguard for preventing sewer gas from entering your home. They hold water to create a liquid seal in each fixture so that sewer gas can’t escape from the drain.

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